FLEX publishes a new working paper on the experiences of cleaners in the UK. “If I Could Change Anything About My Work...” Participatory Research With Cleaners In The UK is the first in a series of working papers on the experiences and drivers of labour abuse and exploitation in three understudied low-paid sectors of the economy: cleaning, hospitality and the app-based courier sector. It highlights key workplace issues in the cleaning sector and the risk and resilience factors that impact cleaners’ vulnerability to – and ability to push back against – violations of their employment rights.

If I could change anything about my job, it would be the contribution to social security, to have the right to sick pay that covers the basic expenses at least.

Carla, Colombian cleaner*

The Coronavirus pandemic and its related economic impact have significantly affected workers. FLEX’s recent briefing has shown that those in low-paid jobs were being laid off, denied entitlements and threatened with dismissal, while some of those still in work described feeling pressured to work excessively long hours and under unsafe conditions. During the last months, unions, NGOs and labour inspectors have uncovered cases of labour abuse and exploitation in a number of sectors, including agriculture, garment, cleaning, gig economy and domestic work.

As the lockdown eases and more people start going back to work, it is vital that workers have access to information about their rights and know where to seek help if they experience problems at work.

In March 2020, FLEX and Fife Migrants’ Forum started a new piece of work together to understand and document the experiences of migrant agricultural workers in Angus, Fife, Kincardineshire and Perthshire. This work builds on FLEX’s previous work to understand the possible risks of the UK Government’s ‘seasonal workers pilot’ in agriculture.